Sean Payan

University of California, Riverside, School of Business | A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM)

Hometown:  San Clemente, California

Fun Fact About Yourself: I haven’t lost in fantasy football since 2013.

Undergraduate School and Major: Excelsior College, NY, Liberal Arts

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: U.S. Army, active duty for nine years

What word best describes the UC Riverside MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far? Very intelligent and diverse. The U.S. military is quite the melting pot of personnel; however, AGSM offers even more diversity and inclusiveness due to the international student population. The camaraderie among alumni and current students is remarkable as everyone is collaborative and eager to learn from one another. Every person I have met would make a fine military officer; they are extremely disciplined and durable with exemplary character.

Aside from classmates, what was the key part of UC Riverside’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? As a military leader, I wanted to find a program that offered the greatest diversity possible. My day-to-day life in the military includes working with soldiers from all over the world; there are many soldiers in the military who are naturalized and gain citizenship through service. In short, I wanted to be a part of a program which was as ethnically and culturally diverse as possible, and this experience will enhance my ability to lead our nation’s soldiers.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at UC Riverside? Definitely the Programming Club. Prior to entering the MBA program, I was unfamiliar with coding and programming languages. In my Information Systems class this quarter, I have had assignments in different program languages, including R, C++, and Python. Participating in the Programming Club has offered me additional insights, support, and mentoring, which has been really beneficial.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  I am really proud to have been among the top percentile in the Army to be selected to get my MBA at UCR. 30% of soldiers were selected to attend school. Out of that, only 5% of the 30% were selected to get an MBA.

Describe you biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: Aside from the enormous task of balancing military obligations and training while studying full time as an MBA student, my biggest accomplishment in the MBA program so far has been being able to keep up in Professor Elodie Goodman’s Quantitative Analysis class! Quantitative skills do not come easily for me, but I pay a lot of attention, study hard, and ask a lot of questions. As a result, in addition to programming languages, my quantitative skills are really improved, and I am grateful to take these skills into my career.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? There are a few spots! First, Duke’s Bar and Grill is a great place nearby, where I like to go with friends to watch football games and relax. I also enjoy going to the Getaway Café, where the Student Association hosts weekly hangouts. There, I get to play pool and socialize with my peers and enjoy the connections I am building!

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? I have always been interested in the area of fiscal/contract law. Thus, I made a decision to attain my MBA and be a finance officer in the Army.

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